Amgen’s profits ‘boosted by anaemia drug’

Amgen has said its profit increases in the third quarter have been boosted by strong sales in its anaemia drug.

The biotechnology company said third-quarter profits rose by 14 per cent, which were helped by a “double-digit increase” in sales of Aranesp, which is used to treat anaemia.

Used for therapy among cancer and kidney dialysis patients, sales of the drug rose by 27 per cent to GBP572 million, which beats Wall Street predictions of GBP562 million, according to Reuters.

Furthermore, sales of Epogen, a previous version of Aranesp, rose by six per cent, despite having fallen in the second-quarter of the year.

Earnings prices per share also beat expectations at GBP0.56 in comparison with GBP0.52. The drug manufacturer states total third-quarter revenues rose by 15 per cent.

Amgen states that Aranesp is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. It was granted marketing authorisation by the European Commission in 2001 for the treatment of anaemia-associated chronic renal failure in adults and subjects aged 11 years or older.

Beth Seidenberg, senior vice president of development and chief medical officer at Amgen has descried the drug as “the most commonly prescribed erythropoietic treatment for anemia in the EU and?the first and only erythropoietin approved for every three or four week dosing”.

Ms Seidenberg has also promoted the drug’s ability to allow patients less time in doctors’ offices given its dosing options.